To Good Health!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! With nearly 10% of the U.S. population reporting they have Irish ancestry, there are likely to be a LOT of briskets, corned beef, cabbage, bacon, potato pancakes, shepherd's pie, fruitcake, soda bread, and Guinness served today. Corned beef was not a staple of Irish in Ireland. It wasn't until the wave of Potato Famine migrants brought millions to the shores of America that past customs were adapted to meet the new situations here. In Ireland, beef was usually far too expensive for the "common" man to afford. Beef was considered fitting for only the upper class elites. Before the time of the famine, Irish families had more pork in their diets because it was plentiful on the island. Wild pigs date back thousands of years in Ireland. Politics, regulations, and economic conditions changed during the 19th century that led to shortages though making the famine even more difficult.

Of course sheep have always been a mainstay in Ireland. Native sheep there would graze on the abundance of seaweed that washed ashore. More popular modern breeds have been imported in recent times and replaced many of the native sheep, but the legacy remains. It is thought that there are more sheep in the Irish Republic than people. Early reports from the late 1800's found that sheep were indeed numerous as most small family farms had at least two sheep. Mutton and lamb meat would have been a staple in early Ireland and the Irish are well known for their wool. Mutton meat is from older sheep while lamb, like what we feature here at US Wellness, is from younger animals. Lamb meat is far more tender and lighter in color than mutton.

We offer a toast to your St. Patrick's Day festivities - "Sláinte"... (Health). We hope you enjoy the festivities of this day, good food and drink, and have pleasant thoughts of the Emerald Isle.

All the Best,  Team USWM